Eyecup



Patented Oct. 27, 1936 PATENT OFFICE EYECUP Louis W. Schaaff, White Plains, N. Y., assignor, by direct and mesne assignments, of fifty-two per cent to Wilhelmina M. Kuhn, New York,

Application January 9, 1935, Serial No. 983

1 Claim.

This invention relates to eye cups, and a principal object of this invention is to provide an eye cup which, when in use, may be manipulated easily and conveniently by the user to flush or agitate the liquid in the cup effectively against the eye, without requiring the user to move his head about, as is necessary with the eye cups now in common use; and a further object of this invention is to provide an eye cup of the character described, and one which is simple and inexpensive in construction, is simple and convenient to use, is sanitary, and serves to agitate or flush liquid against the eye of the user more effectively and with less trouble and annoyance than is possible with eye cups of the present standard construction.

Another object of this inventionis to provide an eye cup of the character described and one provided with means, if desired, for relieving objectionable pressure or suction on the eye of the user when the liquid in the cup is agitated or flushed against the eye.

Other objects of this invention will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter:

In accordance with this invention the eye cup comprises a resiliently compressible portion adapted to be alternatively squeezed and released to agitate or flush the liquid in the eye cup against the eye of the user, and, if desired, is provided with a vent arranged to prevent objectionable suction on the eye.

In order that a clear understanding of this invention may behad, attention is hereby directed to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application, and illustrating certain possible embodiments of this invention, and in which:-

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an eye cup embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is a, side elevation thereof; and

Fig. 3 is a top plan view thereof.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Referring to the drawing, the eye cup, as illustrated, includes a rigid cup portion of suitable metallic or non-metallic material, comprising a bowl portion I adapted to contain liquid and having a rim 2 shaped to fit the eye of a user, and having a neck 3 provided with a bead 4 adapted to receive and retain a resiliently compressible bulb 5, of rubber or similar material, the neck 3 having an aperture 6 through which the interior of the bulb is in communication with this interior of the bowl portion l of the cup. If desired the bottom 1 of the bulb 5 may be made flat so that the eye cup may be stood upright.

For use, the eye cup is filled with liquid, completely or partially, as desired. It is then applied to the eye and the bulb alternately squeezed and released to agitate or flush the liquid against the eye of the user, and tending to produce a 5 flushing effect on the eye. It is not necessary for the user to tilt the head backward or to invert the eye cup, although this may be done if desired.

To prevent undesired suction during use, a vent hole 8 may be provided in the bowl portion I, to 10 allow sufiicient inflow and outflow of air to prevent the undesired eifect.

By having a large opening for the passage of liquid between the cup I and the bulb 5 as shown in the drawing, squirting and spraying of the 15 liquid against the eye when the eye cup is used is positively prevented, and particularly so when the opening is of such size that its diameter is approximately the same as the maximum transverse diameter of the cavity of the bulb 5. 20

From the above it will be readily apparent that when the bowl portion is made of resilient material, no additional bulb is required, and that such bowl may have a flexible, semi-flexible or rigid edge to fit the eye; also that the cup portion and 25 bulb portion may be made either in two pieces or in one piece; and that there are many difierent satisfactory materials out of which the eye cup or the parts thereof may be made. When the bulb 5 is detachable, as shown, the parts are read- 30 ily separable for sterilization and cleaning.

Accordingly, since such an eye cup may be made of many different constructions and of many different materials without departing from the scope of this invention, it is to be understood that all matter contained in the above description, or shown in the accompanying drawing, be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim is: 40

An eye cup comprising a bowl portion having a rim curved to fit the orbit of the eye of the user and a resiliently compressible bulb portion extending from the bowl portion, the cavity of the bulb portion being approximately cylindrical and 45 communicating with the cavity of the bowl portion through a large opening of approximately the same diameter as the internal diameter of the bulb portion cavity, thereby to eliminate squirting and spraying of the liquid against the eye when 50 the eye cup is used, said bulb portion being of relatively substantial material and having a flat base thereby to stand vertically when resting on a horizontal base.

LOUIS W. SCHAAFF, 55 

